[obol] SW Portland bee-eater

[Marcia Marvin]

OBOL,

A Western Scrub Jay perched on the coachlight in front of my dining  
room window.  I took a look because it's the favorite Song Sparrow  
perch and they usually discourage intruders.  I noticed several  
insects circling around and above the jay.  The jay noticed them, too  
and attempted to catch one from the perch, then did a little modest  
flycatching and after about five attempts was finally successful.   
The bird held the insect in its beak for a moment, appeared to  
swallow it and then wiped its beak.  I briefly wondered if he was  
scraping off a stinger, but he seemed to be through with the bug by  
then.  He then flew to the sunflower (for dessert?).  This is my  
first experience seeing any bird that frequents my yard eat a bee.   
He did not appear to get stung.  I didn't have bins at hand, so I  
can't say for sure what insect this was, but the several I saw  
behaved exactly like bees.

Marcia

--
Step out onto the planet.
Draw a circle a hundred feet round.
Inside the circle are
300 things nobody understands, and maybe
nobody's ever really seen.

How many can you find?

-Lew Welch (1926-1971)